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Zack came by with Gramps, who was finally out of the hospital. I’d consulted with him about everything I was planning for the inn, and he’d already seen pictures. He still took in the sight of the ongoing construction with wide eyes.
“Well damn,” Gramps said. “I can see it coming together. Sort of.”
Zack chuckled. “Greyson knows what he’s doing. Sort of.”
I rolled my eyes at them. “I wasn’t asking for feedback. This will work. Once the restaurant is up and running, I’ll blast out some advertisements, call in a few favors, and this place is going to be bustling. You’ll need to hire help,” I said, elbowing Gramps.
He was wearing a button-down, slacks, and a tie. Gramps always liked to dress well, but his clothes practically hung off him from all the weight he’d lost in the hospital. “I’m sure I’ll manage.”
I drummed my fingers on the counter, then blew out a breath. “Gramps, I saw the finances. Something around here has to change. And the doctors said–”
“I’ll manage,” he said again. His tone let me know he wasn’t interested in debating with me right now.
I nodded my head. That would be an argument we’d have to have before I went back home. One way or another, he was going to have to admit he needed help around here.
“Are you and Harper Halladay an item yet?” Gramps asked.
“I’ve been busy trying to save your inn.”
Gramps waved his hand in dismissal. “Psh. Nobody works twenty-four hours a day. You can spare her a few of them.”
“I’m not interested in Harper fucking Halladay,” I snapped. “She’s practically a kid. Even if I wasn’t heading hundreds of miles away in a few months, we’d still be worlds apart. It’s not happening.”
Zack winced as he looked at something behind me.
I felt my shoulders sag. I sensed what I was going to see even before I turned around.
Harper stood there with a plate of assorted baked goods. Her eyes were filling with tears, but she smiled as if nothing was wrong and extended the plate toward Gramps. “I heard you were back and wanted to bring some treats. Hi Greyson,” she said flatly. A tear rolled down her cheek just before she turned and stormed out of the inn.
I rubbed the back of my neck. “How much did she hear?”
“All of it, I think,” Zack said.
Gramps shook his head. “That was truly some of the worst timing I’ve ever seen.”
I groaned. “No shit.”
“I’d apologize,” Zack suggested. “Just go over there and tell her you’ve been drinking this morning. Maybe admit you’re also kind of an asshole and you were just trying to make a point. And tell her she’s pretty–girls like that.”
I stared. “If I go over there right now, she’s going to claw my face off.” No. If I go explain myself quickly enough she’ll forgive me. And then I’ll be back to where I was. As shitty and painful as this was, maybe it was for the best. All I had to do now was wait and let her anger with me fester. My cowardly ass wouldn’t have to do a thing more than sit on my hands and let it fall apart on its own.
“So you’re scared of a little girl?” Gramps laughed.
“I’m being sensible. She needs time to cool off. Then I’ll… figure something out.”
“Cool off?” Zack asked. “You’re the one who fucked up, bro. She’s not cooling off over there. She’s heating up. Probably trying to figure out when Katie has the kids so she can burn this place down and only catch you in the blaze.”
I shook my head. This was exactly the kind of shit I was afraid of. As much as I was tempted to follow the easy road and let this develop, I needed to make it official. I had to tell her it was over, because the restaurant was opening soon. If I let things end this way, she’d probably use those new Japanese chef knives I bought her to stab me when I wasn’t looking. And how could I expect her to feel passionate about my vision if she despised me?
No. For the sake of Gramps and the inn, I needed to make this a clean cut. I needed to go over and tell her right now. Or maybe tomorrow.
Instead of being smart, I decided to be a dumbass. Well, it wasn’t as much a conscious decision as it was instinct. I took two steps toward Harper’s building, then got in my car and started driving.
Ten minutes later, I pulled up to where Katie and Matt were staying. I knocked on the door. “Katie, it’s me.”
Matt opened the door. He was short, soft around the edges, but otherwise a nice enough guy. I tried not to resent him, but it was something I had to work at. I didn’t care that he was with my ex-wife. I cared that he was playing the role of father with my kids when they were here.
